Cindy Anderson, Global Lead for Engagement & Eminence at IBM’s Institute for Business Value, dives into thought leadership dynamics and its ROI. She reveals insights from over 4,000 executives on what drives engagement. The discussion tackles the effects of AI on content quality and the challenge of audience fatigue. Cindy emphasizes the necessity of credible insights and effective presentation methods while differentiating influencers from genuine thought leaders. Essential listening for anyone involved in creating impactful content!
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insights INSIGHT
Defining Thought Leadership Value
Thought leadership offers measurable ROI and serves as the eighth P of marketing, focusing on strategic business outcomes rather than just content output.
Genuine thought leadership is evidence-based, independent, and trusted by executives to inform decisions.
insights INSIGHT
Primary Research Defines Thought Leadership
True thought leadership must be backed by original, independent research creating unbiased insight.
Consumers of thought leadership prioritize this research because it builds trust and credibility, distinguishing real leaders from commentators.
insights INSIGHT
Thought Leadership as Validation
Thought leadership acts as validation that consulting firms understand executive challenges and can be trusted.
It reassures decision makers that the consulting partner is credible beyond mere promises.
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Welcome to episode #987 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast.
Cindy Anderson is on a mission to bring clarity, standards, and serious business impact to thought leadership. As Global Lead for Engagement & Eminence at IBM’s Institute for Business Value and the Global Thought Leadership Institute, Cindy has spent years leading one of the most ambitious research efforts ever undertaken on this topic. The result is her new book, The ROI of Thought Leadership – Calculating the Value That Sets Organizations Apart, co-authored with Anthony Marshall. In it, Cindy reveals what more than 4000 C-level executives told IBM about how they consume, value, and act on thought leadership, and why some content drives sales while most gets ignored. In this conversation, we unpack what truly makes someone a thought leader, why AI is simultaneously diluting and accelerating the field, and what it means to play at the top of the marketing funnel with 156% ROI on the line. This isn’t about personal branding... it’s about strategic business outcomes. We also explore how trust, frequency and format shape impact, and what companies must do to avoid audience fatigue. For anyone who creates, funds or is trying to measure thought leadership this one’s essential listening. Enjoy the conversation…
(00:00) - Introduction to Thought Leadership and Its Importance. (03:00) - Challenges in Measuring Thought Leadership ROI. (05:52) - Defining Thought Leadership: Evidence-Based Intelligence. (09:03) - The Role of Consultants in Thought Leadership. (11:55) - The Impact of Generative AI on Thought Leadership. (15:04) - Commercialization and Standards in Thought Leadership. (18:00) - The Future of Thought Leadership in a Noisy World. (29:37) - The Eighth P of Marketing: Thought Leadership. (32:27) - ROI of Thought Leadership: A Game Changer. (36:08) - The Role of Presentation in Thought Leadership. (39:43) - Engagement and Sharing: The Dynamics of Thought Leadership. (48:52) - Trust in Thought Leadership: Building Credibility. (51:04) - The Importance of Frequency and Velocity in Thought Leadership. (55:14) - Establishing Trust and Credibility in a Distrustful World.
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